San Juan EMS
Serving the communities of San Juan, Brown, Pearl, Henry, Spieden, Stuart, John’s, and the smaller Islands in the San Juan Archipelago.
SJIEMS operates a four-platoon shift model with one paramedic and one full-time EMT on duty at all times. With support from ALS/BLS-certified administrative staff and a robust volunteer group, we can run up to three staffed ambulances if needed. We also have a supplemental Community Paramedicine program. We currently employ five full-time Paramedics and five full-time EMTs. Our administrative team also has one EMT and one paramedic to provide backup staffing during business hours.
Our remote location requires a creative approach to field medicine. Our local fire department and law enforcement agencies offer assistance when they can. Still, as the only other 911 agencies, we are severely limited regarding mutual aid on the ground, so we rely on our air assets to ensure that our patients receive appropriate care. Island Air Ambulance is our closest and most used asset, and it is based right in town. Lifeflight and Airlift Northwest are used frequently as well. In the rare case that all three services are unavailable, we occasionally receive aid from a military aircraft.
